3TS: The Chances of Starting Again

"I love you"

"I love you". Are they just words that you can promise to someone, and then break? Are they words that mean "may forever" to you and "walang forever" to another? One thing is for sure, just thinking about these words gives a girl a headache.

After those days filled with laughter, guitar practices, teasing, and fun, the big event finally arrived.

Trent's birthday.

I took a step into the crowded well-lighted room. Streamers were hanging from a chandelier. Like the old had just clashed with modern. Soft music was playing in the background as people spoke and laughed around the room.

Every thirty seconds, I made it a habit to adjust and readjust my white blazer that styled my plain light blue fitting shirt. My fingers twitched as I looked around nervously. This was my first time in a while (exempting the time I went to Trent's birthday in the first cycle) to be in a crowded party full of strangers. Most of the parties I attended were of family reunions or the parties of my girl friends.

But not like this. The couches were crowded with teenagers sitting and leaning as they spoke to each other about stories I never would know about. Not even an inch of the wall could be seen. The walls were lined with students who were drinking soda from the snacks table.

When I saw all the people, I looked down at my plain colors coupled with my jeans. I readjusted my simple headband in my hair, as I looked around for Arlene. She said she would catch up to me because she had a few projects left to finish. But, because this was Trent's party, she was most likely going to be here in a few minutes.

A guy bumped me as he tried to pass me, mumbling a sorry he went on his way. My mouth could have dropped just then. Adam...THE Adam just passed me. Just bumped into me. The heartthrob of the school!

I bit my lip as I readjusted my white cover-up for the hundredth time, standing there like a lone awkward penguin.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Trent touched my shoulder as he moved in front of me. He glanced up and down at me, then smiled warmly. "You look great."

I felt like I was going to laugh out loud. How was I supposed to not worry about how I look?

Trying hard not to laugh, I coughed lightly. "Thanks. Happy birthday." He smiled as I handed him the homemade Bucchi my mom and I had made, then I said sarcastically, "You're so old now!"

Inching through the crowd, he laughed, "You're not too far from being seventeen either, aren't you?"

I shrugged as I followed him, "Yeah, but still, you're turning seventeen before me. So...I'm not old...yet."

"Yet." He raised his eyebrows as he glanced at me as we stopped at the snacks table. He carefully stacked two containers to give way for what I had brought.

Colorful food was already cluttering the table. There were local snacks to international desserts stacked on the table. I took a whiff of the raisin bread, snacked on some sour cream chips, and chewed carefully on some sugar cane freshly cut from a rich kid's plantation as I chatted with Arlene and Trent-when he wasn't busy saying hello to friends coming in. Wondering at all the different foods, I could have looked at Trent like some type of normal wealthy businessman's boy. But he wasn't a wealthy businessman's boy, he was an accountant's boy who was just good at making friends wherever he went.

And, honestly Journal, he was very good at being friends with me. Friends give you opportunities to shine, right? Well, he gave me one right on the spot...

It started with his presentation.

Sitting on a tall stool, he grabbed the microphone, "Hey guys, thanks for coming tonight. Thank you so much to everyone who provided the food. But just be ready tomorrow, because I might be too fat with all this food." A few boys laughed and yelled their approval, so he continued, "Anyways, I wanted to perform a song for you all. I mixed it up a little." He made a peace sign with both of his hands before he started to strum.